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Sheriffs of the High Court on Wednesday impounded three yellow vehicles from UDF officials following the party’s failure to pay three different outstanding debts amounting to K2.6 million ($24,074).
Two weeks ago, the cars were grabbed by the Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) because they were brought into the country without duty and last year, the sheriffs confiscated one yellow vehicle in similar circumstances.
The grabbed vehicles, registration numbers BM 3281, BM 7513 and BM 8368, were seen parked within the Trust Auctioneers and Estate Agents premises at Ginnery Corner in Blantyre on Thursday.
But UDF lawyer Viva Nyimba said the vehicles do not belong to the UDF but to national party chairman Bakili Muluzi and that the sheriffs could be in contempt of a recent High Court ruling which stopped the Malawi Revenue Authority from continuing with an exercise to seize the ruling party’s vehicles.
High court registrar Silvester Kalembera said the party owes Little Ways Motors Limited K1.4 million, another K1.2 million to Tarib Osman’s Cartechs and K70,000 to Benitto Changalusa.
“These cases are to do with unpaid bills to garages where the UDF had its vehicles repaired,” said Kalembera.
He said the vehicles were seized after the party failed to settle the debts even after the garage owners went to court.
But Nyimba said on Thursday there should be a distinction between Muluzi and the UDF party.
“Dr. Muluzi has nothing to do with this debt and I told the Sheriff this. I advised him yesterday that he risks contempt of court by confiscating the vehicles,” said Nyimba.
Party secretary general Kennedy Makwangwala said one of the impounded vehicles is used by UDF Blantyre District Governor Eric Chiwaya.
“Those vehicles are not ours as a party. They party chair is just lending them to us,” said Makwangwala.
The High Court said two weeks ago that Muluzi is the owner of the vehicles after MRA grabbed them from various officials demanding payment of duty.
The court, through Justice George Chimasula-Phiri, said it must be the “boss” of MRA who should explain why he did not charge duty of the vehicles.
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